Grade board skirt

ABSTRACT

A skirt assembly for use with a certain grade board, the grade board having a bottom margin and two spaced apart side walls and having a width dimension, the skirt assembly comprising includes a skirt having a U-shaped cross section and being formed of a first and a second sidewalls, the sidewalls being spaced apart and connected by a bottom margin, the bottom margin defining an inside dimension that is sufficient to receive the grade board therein, the skirt being formed of a substantially water impervious material, the skirt sidewalls and the skirt bottom forming a substantially water impervious barrier for a portion of the grade board when the grade board is disposed in the skirt. A method of isolating a grade board is also included.

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/447,816, filed Feb. 14, 2003. The present application claims the benefit of the noted provisional application and the noted provisional application is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to building construction. More particularly, the present invention relates to post frame type building construction incorporating a wooden grade board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Post frame type construction typically involves disposing an outer perimeter of upright wooden post in holes bored in the ground. Typically, the posts are about 8 feet apart, but other spacing may be used as appropriate. At grade level, a grade board is installed spanning the distance between adjacent posts and extending the full building perimeter, save the door openings. The grade board is typically a 2×8 or 2×10 board, but other size boards may be used as needed. Metallic sheeting is affixed to the exterior of the building to form the exterior walls. The individual sheets of sheeting may be three feet wide and extend the full height dimension of the building walls.

[0004] The best modern construction of post frame design requires that at least the lower (in ground) portion of the posts and the grade boards be formed of treated lumber. A present treatment for such lumber includes chemicals that impart traces of arsenic to the lumber. For this reason, such treatment of lumber has recently been phased out in this country. A new method of treating lumber is forthcoming. Reportedly, the new treatment will impart a residue to the treated lumber that is corrosive to ferrous products that might be in contact with the treated lumber. There is therefore a need in the industry to protect the ferrous sheeting that is utilized to form the external margin of a post frame building from the deleterious effects of any corrosive residue that is imparted to treated lumber using the newly formulated treatment process.

[0005] Even without the above-noted problem, grade boards are installed at grade level. Accordingly, the outside margin of the grade boards is typically exposed to soil and periodic moisture, typically from rain runoff from the building. Additionally, the interior of such buildings may have a concrete floor poured in place. The concrete is typically poured against the inside margin of the grade board. Accordingly, the inside margin of the grade board is also exposed to moisture. Over time, even a treated grade board begins to show the deleterious effects of frequent exposure to moisture. Accordingly, there is a need in the industry to substantially isolate the grade boards from moisture in the completed post frame type building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry. The present invention is a substantially impermeable skirt that covers the two side walls and the bottom margin of the grade board. The top margin is preferably left open to provide a source of air circulation to the grade board. The ends of the skirt are also left open to in order facilitate abutting to an adjacent grade board skirt. In order to provide a better seal at the end of the skirt, adjacent skirts can be overlapped a bit by sliding one skirt inside the adjacent skirt. Additionally, an insulation channel may be formed beneath the skirt to receive and position foam insulation beneath the grade board.

[0007] The skirt of the present invention substantially isolates exterior ferrous sheeting from contact with the grade board by interposing the grade board skirt between the sheeting and the grade board. Additionally, the skirt substantially isolates the skirt from the deleterious effect of moisture whether from concrete poured inside the building or from rain moistened soil mounded next to the grade board's exterior margin.

[0008] The present invention is a skirt assembly for use with a certain grade board, the grade board having a bottom margin and two spaced apart side walls and having a width dimension, the skirt assembly comprising includes a skirt having a U-shaped cross section and being formed of a first and a second sidewalls, the sidewalls being spaced apart and connected by a bottom margin, the bottom margin defining an inside dimension that is sufficient to receive the grade board therein, the skirt being formed of a substantially water impervious material, the skirt sidewalls and the skirt bottom forming a substantially water impervious barrier for a portion of the grade board when the grade board is disposed in the skirt. The present invention is further method of isolating a grade board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the grade board skirt of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the grade board skirt integrated with construction of a post frame building;

[0011]FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the grade board skirt disposed on a grade board; and

[0012]FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the grade board skirt with and insulation channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] A portion of a post frame building is depicted at 10 in FIG. 2. The post frame building 10 has a post 12 set in a posthole 14. The post 12 is typically a 4 inch by 4 inch post and maybe formed of laminated boards. The post 12 is typically treated, at least portion that is to be disposed below grade.

[0014] A concrete footing 16 is typically formed at the bottom of the posthole 14. The post 12 may be sunk into the concrete that forms the concrete footing 16 while it is still wet in order to resist withdrawing the post 12 from the posthole 14.

[0015] A plurality of spaced apart sideboards 18 are disposed along the outside margin of the post 12. Each of the sideboards 18 is typically a 2×4 or 2×6 board that extends between adjacent posts 12 forming the periphery of the post frame building 10. The sideboards 18 are typically spaced apart vertically 3 to 4 feet. Sideboards 18 provide the principal structure (in addition to the grade board 20) for securing the sheeting 22 to the post frame building 10.

[0016] The grade board 20 is disposed at grade level with a portion of the grade board 20 projecting above grade and a second portion of the grade board 20 at or projecting below grade. Grade is typically measured at the bottom margin of the grade board 20 and soil is then mounded up slightly on the exterior margin of the grade board 20 in order to provide a slope to facilitate drainage away from the post frame building 10. As noted above, grade board 20 is typically either a 2×8 or 2×10 board cut to a length sufficient to span the distance between adjacent posts 12. The grade board 20 is typically nailed to adjacent posts 12.

[0017] Sheeting 22 is fastened to the sideboards 18 and the grade board 20 to form the side margins (exterior walls) of the post frame building 10. Sheeting 22 is typically formed of a ferric material in sheets that are usually 3 to 4 feet wide and as high as the wall height of the post frame building 10. The sheeting 22 is usually fastened to the sideboards 18 and the grade board 20 either by nails or by screws. A floor made of concrete 24 may be poured in the inside of the post frame building 10. The concrete 24 is typically poured against the inside margin of the grade board 20. As noted above, soil 26 is typically mounted at least part way up the exterior margin of the grade board 20.

[0018] The grade board skirt of the present invention is shown generally at 30 in the figures. The grade board skirt 30 is formed of various sizes to substantially enclose the different sized grade boards 20 that may be used in the post frame building 10. For example, the grade board skirt 30 depicted in FIG. 1 is designed to be utilized with a 2×8 grade board 20. It should be noted that a 2×8 board typically has a width dimension of about 1½ inches. A grade board skirt 30 designed to be utilized with a 2×10 grade board 20 has side walls 32, 34 that are approximately 2 inches higher than the side walls 32, 34 depicted in FIG. 1.

[0019] Preferably, the grade board skirt 30 is made of a plastic material. This material is preferably a polyethylene material. The material is preferably 1′32 inches to ¼ inches thick and most preferably, substantially {fraction (1/16)} inch thick. With such thickness, the grade board skirt 30 may be readily trimmed with an ordinary construction knife.

[0020] The side walls 32, 34 are spaced apart a distance sufficient to readily receive a grade board 20 therein. A 2×8 or 2×10 grade board requires an inside dimension of the grade board skirt 30 that is between 1½ inch and 1{fraction (9/16)} inch. The bottom margin 36 extends between the side walls 32, 24 to provide the required inside width dimension. The grade board skirt 30 is preferably 8 feet 6 inches long, but other lengths may be utilized depending upon the spacing of the posts 12 and the post frame building 10. The grade board skirt 30 is preferably trimmed to the same length as that of the grade board 20.

[0021] The grade board skirt 30 has a top opening 38 that runs the full length of the grade board skirt 30. Additionally, there are end openings 40 at either end of the grade board skirt 30.

[0022] In operation, after the posts 12 have been set in place and the concrete 24 has set, the grade boards 20 may be affixed to the posts 12. The grade board skirt 30 is placed over the grade board 20 with the top opening 38 projecting upward. The grade board skirt 30 is then trimmed to be the same length as the grade board 20. A first end of the grade board 20 with the grade board skirt 30 thereon is affixed to a first post 12, and a second end of the grade board 20 with the grade board skirt 30 is affixed to the adjacent post 12. Typically, nails are driven through both the grade board skirt 30 and the grade board 20 into the post 12. The length of the grade board 20 is selected such that the ends of the grade board 20 terminate approximately midspan on the width dimension of adjacent posts 12. This leaves room for affixing adjacent grade boards 20 to the same posts 12.

[0023] The end of an adjacent grade board 20 is abutted to the end of a grade board 20 already affixed to the post 12. The end opening 40 of the grade board skirt 30 in which the adjacent grade board 20 is disposed is then abutted to end opening 40 of the grade board skirt 30 that is already affixed to the post 12. In this way, the opening formed between adjacent grade board skirts 30 through which water may pass is minimized. Additionally, a bead of a suitable exterior sealer may be spread over the joint between adjacent grade board skirts 30 to effect an even greater water tight barrier around the grade boards 20. Sheeting 22 may then be affixed to the grade board 20 by fasteners that extend through the sheeting 22, the grade board skirt 30 and into the grade board 20

[0024] When the concrete 24 is then poured, the concrete 24 abuts the exterior surface of the side wall 34 of the grade board skirt 30 and does not come into contact with the grade board 20. Further, when the soil 26 is mounted up it comes into contact with the exterior surfaces of the side wall 32 of the grade board skirt 30 and does not come into contact with the grade board 20. And, the sheeting 22 is isolated from the grade board 20 by the grade board skirt 30.

[0025] It should be noted that the grade board skirt 30 can be utilized with the post sleeve 28 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,796 invented by the inventor of the present application in order to provide superior all around protection for the post frame building 10.

[0026] A further embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 4. This embodiment has an insulation channel disposed beneath the skirt portion of the grade board skirt 30. The width dimension of the channel 50 may be an extension of the bottom margin 36 and may extend inward from the bottom margin 36, such that the width of the channel 50 is greater than the width dimension of the skirt portion of the grade board skirt 30. The width dimension of the channel 50 is selected to accommodate the rigid foam insulation 52. The channel 50 is formed of a top margin 54, that may be in part formed by the bottom margin 36, an exterior side margin 56, that may be a depending extension of the side wall 32, and an interior side margin 56, that may or may not be a depending extension of the side wall 32.

[0027] While a number of embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it should be appreciated that the inventive principles can be applied to other embodiments falling within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A skirt assembly for use with a certain grade board, the grade board having a bottom margin and two spaced apart side walls and having a width dimension, the skirt assembly comprising: a skirt having a U-shaped cross section and being formed of a first and a second sidewalls, the sidewalls being spaced apart and connected by a bottom margin, the bottom margin defining an inside dimension that is sufficient to receive the grade board therein, the skirt being formed of a substantially water impervious material, the skirt sidewalls and the skirt bottom forming a substantially water impervious barrier for a portion of the grade board when the grade board is disposed in the skirt.
 2. The skirt assembly of claim 1, the skirt sidewalls having a height dimension that is substantially equal to a height dimension of the side margin of the certain grade board.
 3. The skirt assembly of claim 1, the skirt having end openings defined at each of two skirt ends.
 4. The skirt assembly of claim 1, the skirt having a ventilation opening disposed opposite the skirt bottom margin and being substantially coextensive with the skirt bottom margin.
 5. The skirt assembly of claim 1, the skirt defining a corrosion barrier between the grade board and any ferric material affixed to the grade board.
 6. The skirt assembly of claim 1, the substantially water impervious material being readily trimmable for trimming the skirt to a desired length.
 7. The skirt assembly of claim 1, the skirt being formed of a plastic material.
 8. The skirt assembly of claim 7, the skirt being formed of a polyethylene material.
 9. The skirt assembly of claim 7, the skirt being formed with a wall thickness that is between {fraction (1/32)} inch and ¼ inch.
 10. The skirt assembly of claim 7, the skirt being formed with a wall thickness that is preferably substantially {fraction (1/16)} inch.
 11. The skirt assembly of claim 1, including an insulation channel formed depending from the skirt to receive and position insulation.
 12. A method of isolating a certain grade board, the grade board having a bottom margin and two spaced apart side walls and having a width dimension, the skirt assembly comprising: forming a skirt with a U-shaped cross section and forming a first and a second sidewall, spacing the sidewalls apart and connecting the sidewalls by a bottom margin, defining an inside dimension that is sufficient to receive the grade board therein by means of the bottom margin, forming the skirt of a substantially water impervious material, and forming a substantially water impervious barrier for a portion of the grade board when the grade board is disposed in the skirt by means of the skirt sidewalls and the skirt bottom.
 13. The method of claim 12, including forming the skirt sidewalls with a height dimension that is substantially equal to a height dimension of the side margin of the certain grade board.
 14. The method of claim 12, including defining skirt end openings at each of two skirt ends.
 15. The method of claim 12, including forming a skirt ventilation opening disposed opposite the skirt bottom margin and substantially coextensive with the skirt bottom margin.
 16. The method of claim 12, including defining a corrosion barrier between the grade board and any ferric material affixed to the grade board.
 17. The method of claim 12, including forming the substantially water impervious material of a readily trimmable material for trimming the skirt to a desired length.
 18. The method of claim 12, including forming the skirt of a plastic material.
 19. The method of claim 18, including forming the skirt of a polyethylene material.
 20. The method of claim 18, including forming the skirt with a wall thickness that is between {fraction (1/32)} inch and ¼ inch.
 21. The method of claim 18, including forming the skirt with a wall thickness that is preferably substantially {fraction (1/16)} inch.
 22. The method of claim 12, including forming an insulation channel depending from the skirt to receive and position insulation. 